It has been reported that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has recently completed testing of the Astra Mk2 missile and is expected to enter limited series production soon. Once inducted, the missile will contribute significantly to the IAF’s air dominance.
With the completion of this this testing, the missile is set to be integrated with Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets including the Su-30 MKI, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A, Mirage 2000, and Mig-29 aircrafts. The DRDO is expecting that an order for around 200 Astras by the Indian Air Force (IAF) for its Su-30MKIs fleet.
About Astra Mk-2 Missile
The Astra Mk-2 is an upgraded version of Astra MK-1, and there is not much of the physical differences between Astra 1 and 2.
Astra 2 missile is known to have a dual pulse solid rocket motor giving it a longer range than its predecessor Astra Mk-1. It is expected to have an AESA radar seeker. The design, too, appears to be similar. The missile has a slightly larger diameter of 190 mm compared to the Mk1’s 178 mm, but with the same overall length.
The proximity fuze is expected to be a laser proximity fuze. Astra missiles have a smokeless propulsion system.
Designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), a DRDO lab, Astra is India’s first air-to-air missile that is designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL). Besides, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) supported DRDL for aircraft modifications and electronics, while over 50 public and private Indian companies contributed in manufacturing Astra BVRAAM.
The unit cost of the missile is likely to be more than 8 Crores approx. (USD 1 Million).
One thought on “Testing of Astra Mk2 Missile Completed”
Comments are closed.